Azerbaijan–US partnership: a pillar of stability in the South Caucasus Expert opinions on Caliber.Az

The first meeting of the bilateral working group between the United States and Azerbaijan took place in Washington, the U.S. Embassy reported.

“Yesterday, senior U.S. and Azerbaijani officials met for the inaugural session of our countries’ bilateral working group to begin implementing the MOU signed at President Trump’s historic August 8 Peace Summit in Washington.   

At this meeting, we discussed joint activities under the MOU to strengthen regional connectivity and trade, economic investment, including AI and digital infrastructure, and security cooperation. 

The United States looks forward to working with our valued strategic partner Azerbaijan to advance President Trump’s vision for peace and prosperity and unlock the rich economic potential of the South Caucasus,” the statement read.

Caliber.Az invited prominent political analysts to comment on the prospects for strengthening Azerbaijan–U.S. relations.

Kyle Inan, Chief Global Strategist at KI Asset Management Co. (USA), noted that his assessment takes into account the clear changes in the regional and global environment.

“The timing of the creation of this working group is no coincidence, nor is its scale. Azerbaijan–U.S. relations are entering a phase that is far less symbolic and significantly more practical, strategic, and future-oriented.

These relations should be built on connectivity and geoeconomics. Azerbaijan’s position at the crossroads of the East–West and North–South corridors is no longer a theoretical advantage; it is a concrete strategic asset. In an era of fragmented supply chains, the United States should increasingly view Azerbaijan not only as an energy partner but also as a logistics and trade hub linking Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and Europe. This requires constant attention to the development of infrastructure, ports, and railways, coordination of customs procedures, and the implementation of digital trade systems.

Today, connectivity is directly transforming into an economic lever and a factor of long-term stability. Technology and digital infrastructure—especially artificial intelligence—represent another critically important area. Azerbaijan has the potential to become a regional digital hub if investments are combined with the development of human capital, regulatory clarity, and serious cooperation in cybersecurity.

From Washington’s perspective, this also involves setting standards and ensuring the implementation of open and competitive systems in the region. A pragmatic approach that mobilises private-sector investment and provides strategic guidance will be far more effective than rigid or ideologically driven frameworks,” the analyst explained.

He also believes that cooperation in the energy sector should continue to develop.

“While oil and gas remain important components, the next phase should focus on leadership in the energy transition, including renewable energy, power grid modernisation, green hydrogen, and Europe’s long-term energy security. Azerbaijan is capable of playing a stabilising role in this process, while the United States will provide technology, capital, and strategic authority.

Security cooperation should focus on resilience. Border security, counterterrorism, maritime safety in the Caspian Sea, and the protection of critical infrastructure are areas where collaboration can deepen without disturbing the regional balance. Quiet, professional coordination will yield longer-term results than loud gestures.

Overall, the future of Azerbaijan–U.S. relations lies in strengthening connectivity, technology, modernising energy cooperation, and pragmatic security engagement based on mutual interests rather than abstract concepts. With a disciplined approach and strategic patience, this partnership can become one of the key pillars of stability and economic growth in the South Caucasus,” Inan concluded.

Ilgar Velizade, an international affairs expert and head of the “South Caucasus” political analysts’ club, recalled that a few months ago, Azerbaijan and the United States announced their intention to soon begin preparing a Charter of Strategic Partnership.

“One could say that this working group is being created precisely for that purpose. From the American side, a head of the group has already been appointed—I believe it is the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State. I think that today the key topics on the bilateral agenda are primarily economic and energy cooperation, security collaboration, and mutual investments. These are extremely important areas—not declarative statements, but the very pillars on which the foundation of Azerbaijan–U.S. cooperation can be built for years to come.

And, of course, there should be fewer declarations and more concrete actions. One hopes that these were exactly the issues discussed during the meetings,” the expert expressed.

Regarding the linkage of bilateral cooperation with regional dynamics, he noted that today, multilateral diplomacy is focusing on processes related to the implementation of the TRIPP project.

“This aligns with the post-conflict agenda, so there are grounds to expect that the Charter of Strategic Partnership will fit organically into regional dynamics, reflecting the current state of affairs and defining future development prospects. This cooperation also sends a message to external powers that may perceive it as having hidden motives. I do not consider such an approach correct, especially since Azerbaijan has proven itself over recent decades as a reliable partner for many countries. Our country does not build relations with anyone to the detriment of the interests of its neighbours or any other states. Therefore, there is no need to look for hidden pitfalls. I believe the dialogue in Washington was structured precisely with this understanding.

It should also be noted that, for the Azerbaijani side—and, as we see today, this is also understood by the American side—it is important to remove any obstacles to cooperation between the two countries. In this case, this refers to Section 907. It is likely that the parties also discussed issues related to its removal, as it does not reflect the modern nature of bilateral relations and does not correspond to the vision that will most likely be enshrined in the text of the Charter of Strategic Partnership between the two countries,” Velizade concluded.